Conventional vapor-dispensing products include a volatizable material and a transport system configured to facilitate evaporation of the volatizable material into the surrounding air. Such volatizable materials include fragrances, air fresheners, deodorizers, odor eliminators, odor counteractants, insecticides, insect repellants, medicinal substances, disinfectants, sanitizers, mood enhancers, and aroma therapy compositions, scented water, oil, alcohol, gel, solids or membrane type air treatment material. Air fresheners are common exemplary vapor-dispensing devices and are often classified as continuous release fresheners or burst fresheners.
Continuous release fresheners, active or passive, provide substantially constant air treatment material intensity over extended periods of time and typically include a reservoir and a wick or some other air treatment material pathway.
Burst fresheners are typically designed to provide instantaneous dispersions, for example, to combat transient or elevated malodor levels, and lack the prolonged effect provided by continuous release systems. Conventional burst systems employ aerosol propellants or mechanical type pumps and spray nozzles to create dispersions that typically dissipate quickly in the air. Burst systems may be initiated by the user or set to dispense air treatment material at specific time intervals. Burst systems provide an instantaneous increase in air treatment material intensity.
Recent burst systems have incorporated detection mechanisms that provide a burst in response to the detection of a malodor. However, the detection mechanisms used in these burst systems require significant power in order to continuously operate. As such, the batteries that power the detection mechanisms are prematurely drained. Thus, a burst system where the detection mechanism is active part-time would be particularly beneficial in that the useful life of the battery would be prolonged.
In short, there is no available product providing a burst release wherein the burst is in response to the detection of a malodor and wherein the detection mechanism is only active at specific time intervals or in response to a change in one or more ambient conditions. Thus, there is a need for a vapor-dispensing device that overcomes these and other limitations of the prior art.